Gwalior is a historic district situated in the northern part of
Madhya Pradesh. It consists of three urban sections,
Gwalior the old city,
Morar the cantonment area, and
Lashkar the new city. The legend is that in the 8th century, a chieftain known as Suraj Sen was struck by a deadly disease and cured by a hermit-saint Gwalipa. As a token of gratitude, this area came to be known after him. Gwalior is the home of classical music maestro Miya
Tansen.
Gwalior District has an area of 5,214 sq km. The major tourist spots are
Gwalior Fort,
Gujari Mahal, Man Mandir Palace, Sun Temple and Jai Vilas Palace. There is a museum with many art galleries in Gujari Mahal. Tigra Dam is another beautiful tourist spot. This place is rich in lakes and palaces.
Gwalior is known for its cotton, yarn, paint, ceramics, chemicals and leather products. The major reservoir is Harsi. Gwalior trade fair is the biggest fair held here.
The best time to visit Gwalior is from October to March as it is extremely hot in summer and cold in winter.